Difference between revisions of "Child"

<p> CHILD, CHILDREN, SONS </p> <p> These are variously used in Scripture, to denote one and the same. All the race of [[Israel]] are called the children of Israel. And in like manner, the children of God in Christ are called, children of the kingdom. But these things are so obvious and plain, that I should not have thought it necessary, in a work of this kind, purposely contracted into the narrowest compass, to have noticed the word Child, but for the introducing a short observation on the term itself, as applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. On his account I think it important, and the reader will, I hope, forgive me. </p> <p> We meet with the word Child, in relation to Jesus, several times in Scripture; but there are two places where it occurs, with a peculiar emphasis of expression, and where the word holy is prefixed, as if to give it an endearedness to the believer's heart. The passages I refer to are in the prayer of the church, on that memorable occasion when the Lord answered, by an immediate shaking of the place where they were assembled. (&nbsp;Acts 4:27-30) "Of a truth, Lord, against thy holy child Jesus, both Herod and [[Pontius]] Pilate, with the [[Gentiles]] and the people of Israel were gathered together. And now, Lord, grant that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." I know not whether the reader enters with me into an apprehension of the very great loveliness, as well as importance, of the expression, in respect to the holy child Jesus; but I cannot but think, that the church, in this prayer, laid the whole stress, for their prayers being answered, upon the person of Jesus, in the holiness of that nature; which nature the church considered as its own. And for the complete justification of the church, the Lord Jesus took that nature in its perfect holiness. So that as the church then did, so may, and so ought, all believers now to rest the whole hope and expectation of an answer to all their prayers before the throne, upon the sole ground of the same sweet and lovely expression, sent up to God Father, "by the name of thy holy child Jesus." Nothing, among the Hebrews was a more afflictive providence, than to no children; probably with an eye to the promised seed. Hence Abraham, the great father the faithful, when the Lord promised, that he himself would be his shield, and his exceeding reward, said, Lord God, "what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless?" (&nbsp;Genesis 15:1-2) And the punishment the Lord appointed to unnatural alliances, was to bear their sins in dying childless. (&nbsp;Leviticus 20:20) And in the case of Coniah, the Lord said, "Write this man childless," (&nbsp;Jeremiah 22:30) It were well among Christians, if this was well understood. How many consider a large family the reverse, and overlook that Scripture, which declares the man "happy, that hath his quiver full of children!" (&nbsp;Psalms 127:5) </p>

<p> &nbsp;Isaiah 9:6 (a) The word "child" refers to size and age, rather than to relationship. The word "son" refers to character and likeness. In the New [[Testament]] the Greek word for "child" is "teknon" which indicates a physical relationship between a parent and the offspring. [[Jesus]] was never called a child of Joseph, nor the child of man, nor the child of GOD. The Greek word "huios" meaning "son" or "likeness to another" is always used about CHRIST. He is the Son of Man and the Son of GOD. He is not the child of man nor the child of GOD. A [[Christian]] is called a "child of God" (teknon), because of his faith and trust in [[Christ]] JESUS as in &nbsp;Galatians 3:26. He is called a "son of God" (huios), only as he is like GOD more or less in his actions. </p> <ul> <li> he is a son of GOD (huios), if he is a peacemaker ( &nbsp;Matthew 5:9). </li> <li> he is a son of GOD if he forgives his enemies ( &nbsp;Matthew 5:45). </li> <li> he is a son of GOD if he lives a separated life ( &nbsp;2 Corinthians 6:18). </li> </ul> <p> When JESUS was referred to as a child in &nbsp;Luke 1:59, &nbsp;Luke 2:27 and other passages, the word used is "paidion" which means "a little lad." Even here the word is not the word for relationship but refers to size. </p> <p> &nbsp;Jeremiah 1:6 (a) It is here used by the prophet to describe his feeling of helplessness in the face of a great work of GOD. </p> <p> &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:20 (a) GOD very tenderly refers to the people of Israel as being members of His own family, young, helpless, and in need of paternal care. </p> <p> &nbsp;Matthew 23:15 (a) Those who are led astray by false teachers are described as being related to hell and belonging there. </p> <p> &nbsp;Acts 13:10 (a) This man was so wicked and so hostile in his attitude toward GOD that Paul told him he belonged to the devil's family and had a devil's nature. </p> <p> &nbsp;Revelation 12:5 (b) This man child is the Lord JESUS brought forth from the nation of Israel to rule all nations. </p>

<p> CHILD, n. </p> 1. A son or a daughter a male or female descendant, in the first degree the immediate progeny of parents applied to the human race, and chiefly to a person when young. The term is applied to infants from their birth but the time when they cease ordinarily to be so called, is not defined by custom. In strictness, a child is the shoot, issue or produce of the parents, and a person of any age, in respect to the parents, is a child. <p> An infant. </p> <p> [[Hagar]] cast the child under one of the shrubs. &nbsp;Genesis 21 . </p> <p> It signifies also a person of more advanced years. </p> <p> Jephthas daughter was his only child. &nbsp;Judges 11 . </p> <p> The child shall behave himself proudly. &nbsp;Isaiah 3 . </p> <p> A curse will be on those who corrupt the morals of their children. </p> <p> The application of child to a female in opposition to a male, as in Shakspeare, is not legitimate. </p> 2. One weak in knowledge, experience, judgment or attainments as, he is a mere child. <p> Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child. &nbsp;Jeremiah 1 . </p> 3. One young in grace. &nbsp;1 John 2 . <p> One who is unfixed in principles. &nbsp;Ephesians 4 . </p> 4. One who is born again, spiritually renewed and adopted as a child of God. 5. One who is the product of another or whose principles and morals are the product of another. <p> Thou child of the devil. &nbsp;Acts 13 . </p> <p> That which is the product or effect of something else. </p> <p> This noble passion, child of integrity. </p> 6. In the plural, the descendants of a man however remote as the children of Israel the children of Edom. 7. The inhabitants of a country as the children of Seir. &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25 . <p> To be with child, to be pregnant. &nbsp;Genesis 16:11 , &nbsp;Genesis 29:36 . </p> <p> CHILD, To bring children. </p>

<p> (properly יֶלֶר '', Ye´ Led, Τέκνον'' ; but represented by several other [[Hebrew]] and Greek words; comp. CHILDREN). Mothers, in the earliest times, suckled their offspring themselves until they were from thirty months to three years of age. The day on which a child was weaned was a festival (&nbsp;Genesis 21:8; &nbsp;Exodus 2:7; &nbsp;Exodus 2:9; &nbsp;1 Samuel 1:22-24; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 31:16; &nbsp;Matthew 21:16). Nurses were employed, in case the mother died before the child was old enough to be weaned, and when, from any circumstances, she was unable to afford a sufficient supply of milk for its nourishment. In later ages, when matrons had become more delicate, and thought themselves too infirm to fulfill the duties which naturally devolved upon them, nurses were employed to take their place, and were reckoned among the principal members of the family. They are, accordingly, in consequence of the respectable station which they sustained, frequently mentioned in sacred history (&nbsp;Genesis 35:8; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:2; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:11). </p> <p> The sons remained till the fifth year in the care of the women; they then came into the father's hands, and were taught not only the arts and duties of life, but were instructed in the Mosaic law, and in all parts of the religion of their country (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 6:20-25; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 11:19). Those who wished to have them further instructed either employed private teachers, or sent them to some priest or Levite, who sometimes had a number of other children under his care. It appears from &nbsp;1 Samuel 1:24-28, that there was a school near the holy tabernacle dedicated to the instruction of youth. There had been formerly many other schools of this kind, which had fallen into discredit, but were restored by the prophet Samuel, after whose time the members of the seminaries in question, who were denominated by way of distinction the sons of the prophets, acquired much celebrity. The daughters rarely departed from the apartments appropriated to the females, except when they went out with an urn to draw water, or occasionally joined in the labors of the field-as keeping sheep, which was the practice with those who belonged to those humbler stations in life in which the more ancient simplicity of manners was still retained (&nbsp;Genesis 24:16; &nbsp;Genesis 29:9; &nbsp;Exodus 2:16; &nbsp;1 Samuel 9:11; &nbsp;Ruth 2:2; &nbsp;John 4:7). They spent their time in learning those domestic and other arts, which are befitting a woman's situation and character, until they arrived at that period in life when they were to be sold, or, by a better fortune, given away in marriage (&nbsp;Proverbs 31:13; &nbsp;2 Samuel 13:7). The daughters of such as possessed rank and wealth spent the greater part of their time within the walls of their palaces, and, in imitation of their mothers, amused themselves with dressing, singing, and dancing. Sometimes their apartments were the scenes of vice (&nbsp;Ezekiel 23:18). They went abroad very rarely, but they received with cordiality female visitants. The sports of children were doubtless such as have always prevailed among youth, especially in the East. Hackett ''(Illustrations Of'' Script. p. 120) mentions having seen Oriental boys even amusing themselves with flying a kite, and playing at leap-frog and ball. </p> <p> The more children — especially of male children person had among the Hebrews, the more was he honored, it being considered a mark of divine favor, while sterile people were, on the contrary, held in contempt (comp. &nbsp;Genesis 11:30; &nbsp;Genesis 30:1; &nbsp;1 Samuel 2:5; &nbsp;2 Samuel 6:23; &nbsp;Psalms 127:3 sq.; &nbsp;Psalms 128:3; &nbsp;Luke 1:7; &nbsp;Luke 2:5). That children were often taken as bondsmen Ly a creditor for debts contracted by the father, is evident from &nbsp;2 Kings 4:1; &nbsp;Isaiah 1:1; &nbsp;Nehemiah 5:5. Among the Hebrews a father had almost unlimited power over his children, nor do we find any law in the [[Pentateuch]] restricting that power to a certain age; it was, indeed, the parents who even selected wives for their sons (&nbsp;Genesis 21:21; &nbsp;Exodus 21:9-11; &nbsp;Judges 14:2; &nbsp;Judges 14:5). It might of course be expected, while they lived in their father's house, and were in a manner pensioners on his bounty, that he would exercise his authority over the children of his sons, as well as over the sons themselves. In this case the power of the father had no narrow limits, and whenever he found it necessary to resort to measures of severity, he was at liberty to inflict the extremity of punishment (&nbsp;Genesis 38:24). </p> <p> This power was so restricted by Moses that the father, if he judged the son worthy of death, was bound to bring the cause before a judge. But he enacted, at the same time, that the judge should pronounce sentence of death upon the son if, on inquiry, it could be proved that he had maltreated his father or mother, or that he was a spendthrift, or contumacious, and could not be reformed (&nbsp;Exodus 21:15; &nbsp;Exodus 21:17; &nbsp;Leviticus 20:9; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 21:18; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 21:21). It would appear, however, that a father's power over his daughters was still greater than that over his sons, since he might even annul a sacred vow made by a daughter, but not one made by a son (&nbsp;Numbers 30:4; &nbsp;Numbers 30:16). Children cursing or assaulting their parents were punished by the Mosaical law'with death (&nbsp;Exodus 21:15; &nbsp;Exodus 21:17; &nbsp;Leviticus 20:9), a remarkable instance of which is quoted by Christ (&nbsp;Matthew 15:4; &nbsp;Matthew 15:6; &nbsp;Mark 7:9; &nbsp;Mark 7:13). The authority of the parents, and the service and love due to them, are recognised in the most prominent of the moral laws of the Jewish polity, the Ten [[Commandments]] (&nbsp;Exodus 20:12); but the [[Pharisees]] devised a mode of evasion which our Lord strongly reprobates (&nbsp;Matthew 15:5-6; &nbsp;Mark 7:11-13). The prophetic curse or blessing of the father also possessed no little efficacy (&nbsp;Genesis 49:2; &nbsp;Genesis 49:28). (On punishing children for their parents' faults, Ezekiel 18, see Musaeus, ''De Jure Puniendi Liberos'' propter pecc. parent. Lips. 1714.) Children who were slaves by birth are mentioned in the [[Scriptures]] as those born in the house, the children of maid-servants, the sons or children of the house (&nbsp;Genesis 14:14; &nbsp;Genesis 15:3; &nbsp;Genesis 17:23; &nbsp;Psalms 86:16; &nbsp;Psalms 116:16). Few things appear more shocking to humanity than the custom, of which frequent mention is made in Scripture, of making children pass through fire in honor of Moloch, a custom the antiquity of which is proved by its having been repeatedly forbidden by Moses (&nbsp;Leviticus 18:21; &nbsp;Leviticus 20:1; &nbsp;Leviticus 20:5; &nbsp;2 Kings 16:3). (See [[Moloch]]). </p> <p> There are some allusions in [[Scripture]] to the modes in which children were carried. These appear to be adequately represented by the existing usages, as shown in the following cut, in which fig. 1 represents a Nestorian woman bearing her child bundled at her back, and fig. 2, an [[Egyptian]] female bearing her child on her shoulder. The former mode appears to be alluded to in several places, and the latter in &nbsp;Isaiah 49:22. (See Hackett's ''Illustrations Of Script.'' p. 57.) </p> <p> In Scripture the word "child," or "children," has considerable latitude; disciples are often called children or sons. Solomon, in his Proverbs, says to his disciple, "Hear, my son;" so also our [[Savior]] (&nbsp;John 21:5). The descendants of a man, how remote soever, are denominated his sons or children, as " the children of Edom," "the children of Moab," "the children of Israel." Such expressions as "the children of light," "the children of darkness," "the children of the kingdom," signify those who follow truth, those who remain in error, and those who belong to the Church. Persons arrived almost at the age of maturity are sometimes called children. Thus Joseph is termed "the child," though he was at least sixteen years old (&nbsp;Genesis 37:30), and Benjamin, even when above thirty, was so denominated (&nbsp;Genesis 44:20). [[Solomon]] called himself a little child when he came to the kingdom of his father (1 Kings in, 7). (See Adoption); (See [[Birth]]); (See [[Son]]); (See [[Inheritance]]); (See [[Education]]), etc.; and (See [[Offspring]]). </p>